


The Miserable Marriage

by unquestionably_A_Heterosexual



Category: A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV), A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
Genre: Canonical Child Abuse, Child Abuse, Child Marriage, Child Neglect, JUST TO BE CLEAR ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THIS IS ROMANTICIZED, Physical Abuse, pedophilia is gross so don't come near me with that shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 17:51:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14920065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unquestionably_A_Heterosexual/pseuds/unquestionably_A_Heterosexual
Summary: A look into what events may have taken place had Count Olaf's first attempt in stealing the Baudelaire fortune succeeded. Here we follow Violet Baudelaire through the grim realities of child marriage.This is not a happy tale, dear reader, and with a subject matter such as this I should hope that it wouldn't be.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> To reiterate the tags, none of what's written here is meant to be romanticized in any way, so if you're here in search of Violet/Olaf content, I urge you to look elsewhere (as well as to rethink your life). There are two reasons and two reasons only that this fic exists, and they are that 1.) The ending of The Bad Beginning has always left me somewhat dissatisfied, and I feel that even in the surrealist universe of ASOUE, the left hand loophole wouldn't have worked; to me it just felt like a cheap solution to the problem, without much thought or depth, and 2.) I want to use this fic to raise awareness about child marriage, not only in countries we've designated as the "third world", but in the west and the US. Links will be provided to various organizations that serve as resources to victims of forced/child marriages at the end of each chapter.
> 
> As for the story itself, I've mixed and matched elements of the books and Netflix series (because I can), but am now torn over whether I want to characterize Olaf's henchpeople as the silly, somewhat-loveable group of performers we see in the series, or the more sinister, cruel characters we know from the books. Leave a comment below to decide!

As the curtains rose for the finale of Al Funcoot’s play, Violet Baudelaire found herself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Not in the literal sense, mind you, as she was seated next to her brother, Klaus, who was certainly not a rock, and had nobody seated on her other side (and air can hardly be considered “hard”). Figuratively, however, Violet was indeed betwixt a rock and a hard place, which here means “to be in a situation where one is faced with two equally difficult decisions”. Violet absolutely did not want to marry the old, cruel, and devious Count Olaf, but knew that if she did not her infant sister would face a thirty-foot drop off of a tower. Now, allowing such a thing to happen to Sunny Baudelaire would not happen under Violet’s watch, but it certainly didn’t make the prospect of marrying her adoptive guardian any more appealing. The backstage area was dark, which Violet realized was to keep the audience from seeing the actors and stagehands moving through the wings. She looked down at her shaking hands, praying that her plan would work. _“If only this whole theater were dark,”_ she lamented to herself, _“then we could sneak away and get the walkie-talkie out of Count Olaf’s clutches.”_

Violet was abruptly yanked out of her thoughts when she felt her chair she being lifted from underneath her by the large bald man. It was her cue. She looked to Klaus, who had also lost his seat, and they began to move towards the stage while the band played Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March". Bright, uncomfortable lights overtook Violet’s gaze as she stepped past the safety of the curtain. As her eyes adjusted, all that Violet could see was the hazy figure of Count Olaf, which bowed deeply to her. She was starting to feel a little sick to her stomach.

Count Olaf began gesturing with his head, but Violet, feeling ill and disoriented by the lights, couldn’t tell what he was trying to communicate to her. Impatient, Olaf grabbed her by the arm with a spidery yet surprisingly strong hand, wrenching it so that she turned towards Justice Strauss. As soon as he did so, memories of the things that had been said to her since they arrived flooded Violet’s mind. _“You’re a pretty one…”, “If I were you I’d try not to anger Count Olaf, or he might wreck that pretty little face of yours....”, “A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be working backstage...”._ Pretty, pretty, pretty. Violet was quite sure she never wanted to hear that word again. And still one more burned in her mind, more vivid than the others: _“Would it be so terrible to be my bride, to live in my house for the rest of your life? You’re such a lovely girl. After the wedding I wouldn’t dispose of you like your brother and sister.”_ Somehow, Violet doubted that he was sincere about the latter.

Justice Strauss began her speech with a quaking voice. Violet had been hoping that her and Klaus’s worried expressions might signal to the audience that something dubious- meaning suspicious or questionable- was afoot, but looking at the judge now she knew the look of sheer terror and stage fright on Justice Strauss’s face threw their’s out of the water. Nobody would question two children looking nervous or sick while on a stage during their big debut.

“Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do,” Count Olaf said, smiling. Those words hit Violet as if something cold and slimy had dropped into her belly, making her shudder. She looked around desperately for something or someone to help her, but it was too late.

“Do _you_ ,” Justice Strauss said, turning to Violet, “take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

There was no getting out of it. Violet felt the heat of the lights on her neck and the hundreds of eyes watching here, expectantly. She thought of poor little Sunny trapped in that cage, and how frightened she must be. With a small voice, she whispered “I do.”

She felt a sharp nudge on her shoulder, where Count Olaf had just elbowed her. “ _Louder_ ,” he growled under his breath.

Violet inhaled, and remembered the promise she had made to her parents, her _real_ parents, before the fire. In a calm, steady forte, she stated “I do.” 

Violet could see Klaus clench his fists in the corner of her eye. She had said _“I do”_ in the presence of a judge, and all that was left to legally validate the marriage was to sign the official document, which was now being handed to her.

Looking back, Violet could barely remember signing it. All that she could recall was the horrible feeling that washed over her once she had done so, and looking down so that nobody would see the tears brimming in her eyes. Klaus, however, watched everything very carefully, noticing his sister’s shaking hand as she made her signature. Her shaking _left_ hand.

“By the power vested in me, by going to law school, I now pronounce you Count and Countess.” Justice Strauss declared.

“Mazel Tov!” exclaimed the two white-faced women as the band started up again. To her horror, Violet saw Count Olaf leaning in to kiss the bride, which she quickly turned away from. She had upheld her side of the bargain, and acting well on stage was the least of her concerns at the moment. Luckily, Count Olaf didn’t seem to object. In fact, he stepped forward and signaled to stop the music altogether.

“Ladies and gentlemen”, Count Olaf said, addressing the audience, “I have an announcement. There is no need to continue tonight’s performance--”

A single round of applause followed by a cough was heard coming from the audience, though neither Violet nor Klaus could make out who it was coming from. Count Olaf glared angrily towards it for a moment before continuing. “...For its purpose has been served. This has not been a scene of fiction. My marriage to Violet Baudelaire is entirely legal, and I am now in control of her entire fortune.”

There were gasps from the audience, and some of the actors looked at one another in shock. Not everyone, apparently, had known about Olaf’s plan. “That can’t be true!” Justice Strauss cried.

“The marriage laws in this community are quite simple,” Count Olaf said. ‘The bride must say ‘I do” in the presence of a judge like yourself and sign the appropriate document in her own hand. And all of you” - here Count Olaf gestured out to the audience - “are witnesses.”

“Violet is only a child!” called a voice from the audience, which Violet and Klaus recognized to be Mr. Poe’s. “She’s not old enough to marry!”

“She is if her legal guardian allows it,” Count Olaf retorted, “and in addition to being her husband I am also her legal guardian.”

“But that piece of paper isn’t an official document!” Justice Strauss said. “That’s just a stage prop!”

Count Olaf snatched the paper out of Violet’s hand and held it up for the audience to see before giving it to Justice Strauss. “I think if you look closely you will see that it is an official document from city hall.”

Violet’s face burned and her eyes stung from holding back tears. It was enough that she had to go through this dreadful ordeal at all, but the fact that Count Olaf was openly gloating about it in front of an entire theater of people only made it worse. Behind her she could feel Klaus trying to hold in his frustration, and shot him a look that clearly said _“Don’t! Not while Sunny’s still perilously pendant off the tower.”_ Klaus nodded, though still clearly vexed.

Justice Strauss inspected the document thoroughly. “He’s right.” she said, finally. ”I’m afraid this marriage is completely binding. Violet said 'I do' and signed this paper in her own hand. Count Olaf, you are now Violet’s legal husband.”

“And?” asked Count Olaf, wittingly.

“And a vile and terrible person!” Justice Strauss said.

“A vile and terrible person who is in complete control of the Baudelaires’ entire fortune.” said Count Olaf.

“This is absolutely horrendous!” came Mr. Poe’s voice again. The children heard footsteps bounding up the stage stairs before he appeared before them onstage. “This is all dreadful nonsense.”

“I’m afraid this dreadful nonsense is the law,” Justice Strauss said, as Count Olaf chuckled deviously. Her eyes were filling up with as many tears as Violet’s. “I can’t believe how easily I was tricked,” she said, “I would never do anything to harm you children. Never.”

“You _were_ easily tricked!” Count Olaf laughed, and the judge began to cry. “It was child’s play, winning this fortune. And now, a reception to celebrate my special day. Hit it!” he cued the band.

Champagne and hor d'oeuvres were brought out, and Violet felt as if she were watching this scene unfurl around her from a television screen, as opposed to from her own body. The hot lights made Violet’s dress feel like a sweltering prison cell. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and the sickness in her stomach had turned into the sensation of live eels slithering within her. She knew that she had done something, _something_ , in a last ditch effort to get her out of this situation, but for the life of her she couldn’t remember what it was.

Perhaps, reader, you have been in a position where you were so frightened or anxious that you found you’d forgotten things you ought to have remembered. An important exam, for instance, may stress a student out to a point where their mind goes blank, a phrase which means “to lose all the mental notes you have made, so that you can barely remember anything or even think at all”. This very much describes Violet Baudelaire’s headspace at this point in time.

“First let Sunny go!” Klaus burst out. He had been holding back for long enough. “You promised you would let her go!”

“Where is Sunny?” Mr. Poe asked.

“She’s all tied up at the moment,” Count Olaf said, “If you will pardon a little joke.” 

“You promised!” said Violet, alarmed at the thought of her sacrifice being all for naught.

“Oh, and what kind of a husband would I be if I didn’t keep my promises?” Count Olaf said, reaching out a hand towards Violet’s face, which Justice Strauss promptly swatted away.

Olaf brought out his walkie-talkie as Violet and Klaus watched on anxiously. “Hello? Yes, of course it’s me, you idiot. Everything has gone according to plan. Please remove Sunny from her cage and bring her directly to the theater. Klaus and Sunny have some chores to do before bed.” Count Olaf gave Klaus a sharp look. “Are you satisfied now?” he asked.

Klaus looked down. “Yes,” he said quietly.

“Don’t think you’re so safe,” the bald man whispered to Klaus, “Count Olaf will take care of you and your sister later, probably on the honeymoon. He doesn’t want to do it in front of all these people.” Violet could only just make out what the bald man was saying as her mind continued to race to find the answer she was searching for.

“This is absolutely horrendous. This is completely monstrous. This is _financially dreadful!_ ” moaned Mr. Poe, with intermittent coughs. “I won’t allow it. I absolutely will not allow it.”

“I am afraid, Mr. Banker,” Count Olaf said, “that ‘it’ is legally binding. Tomorrow I shall come down to the bank and withdraw the complete Baudelaire fortune. Now,” he said, turning to Violet, “care to dance, Countess?’

“I’m not a Countess,” Violet snapped, finally finding her tongue, “at least, I don’t think I am.” Yes. She remembered now.

“And why not, pray tell?” said Count Olaf.

“I didn’t sign the document in my own hand, as the law states.” Violet said.

“Don’t lie to me, Orphan, everyone saw you!” Count Olaf’s eyebrow was beginning to rise in anger, but Violet stood her ground.

“I’m afraid your husband is right, dear,” Justice Strauss said sadly, wiping away her tears. “There’s no use denying it. There are too many witnesses.”

“But I’m right-handed,” Violet said, “and I signed the document with my left hand.”

“ _What?_ ” Count Olaf cried, grabbing the paper back from Justice Strauss. His eyes glinted brightly. “ _You are a liar!_ ” he hissed.

“No she’s not!” Klaus said excitedly. “I remember, because I watched her left hand trembling as she signed her name.”

“Well that doesn’t count!” Count Olaf scoffed.

“With all due respect, I think Justice Strauss ought to tell us if it counts.” said Violet.

Everyone looked towards Justice Strauss, who was still finishing up crying. Violet stared at her with wide eyes, as if to say _“Please, please don’t make me stay with this wicked man in his dank, dirty house!”_

“Let me think,” said said Justice Strauss quietly, brow furrowed. After a great long time she said “I don’t know. This is a very complicated case, and would take a formidable legal scholar to solve it. As a matter of fact, the only option I can think of would be to take it to court.”

“Court?” the Baudelaires, Count Olaf, Mr. Poe, and the audience all gasped. Sunny Baudelaire, who had just entered the room through escort of the hook-handed man, gasped “Wahbo?”, which meant something quite similar to “Court?". Violet and Klaus, having seen their baby sister, rushed over to Sunny's side to fuss over her.

“An until then,” Justice Strauss continued, “Count Olaf will be barred from any contact whatsoever with the Baudelaire fortune.”

“But that isn’t fair!” said Klaus.

“I agree with the shrimp in the sailor suit!” said Count Olaf.

“Surely we don’t need a court case for this!” said Violet, gasping from the heat.

“I’m very sorry, Baudelaire’s, and I wish I could do more-- but this is the law.” said Justice Strauss, “But not to worry children, there isn’t a jury within a hundred miles of here that wouldn’t take your side in this.”

“We’ll just see about that,” Olaf snarled, baring his teeth. “As of now, nothing has changed. Come children, you have a long list of chores to complete before bed, and--”

“Do you honestly think,” Mr. Poe said in an exasperated voice, “that I will allow you to continue to care for these three children after the treachery I have seen here tonight? The Baudelaires will be sent far away to a suitable guardian, and this series of unfortunate events has come to a close.” The audience applauded, delighted to hear of such a happy ending.

“But wait,” said Violet, “what will happen to me?”

“Well, naturally you will accompany your siblings to whichever guardian we find suitable, until this unprincipled marriage is lawfully dissolved,” said Mr. Poe. Violet let out a sigh of relief. After so many days of hopelessness, everything seemed like it was going to be alright.

“No,” said Count Olaf in a low, dangerous tone, “she will not.” He stepped forward so that he was between Violet and Mr. Poe, blocking them from one another.

“On what grounds?” asked Mr. Poe.

“On the grounds that when married, a ward is no longer in need of a guardian, so says the law. This puts her out of your jurisdiction. You may have forgotten, Mr. Poe, but until a court decides otherwise, my marriage to Violet Baudelaire is entirely legal.”

Mr. Poe spluttered and opened his mouth as if to say something, but ended up falling into a coughing fit instead. The henchperson of indeterminate gender came up to Count Olaf to tell him something about the Mexican place not being able to make reservations for more than ten people, but to Violet that voice seemed far, far away. In fact, the only thing she could focus on in this moment was the stifling heat the stage lights were giving off. Bile raised in her throat as the stage around her began to spin and haze away. Very distantly, she could hear Klaus calling her name. Didn’t he know that she needed to rest? It would only take a few minutes. 

The world went black for Violet Baudelaire before her head hit the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! That was a lot of page turning and Netflix pausing to get all the info I needed down! Although the structure of this chapter was mostly taken directly from the source materials, I wanted it to focus more on Violet's POV, as the book really only looked at Klaus's for this scene. The next chapter will likely be pretty short, but there's more to come later on.
> 
> Now, to get back to the main purpose of this fic, here are two of the resources that I've found so far (more will be added in time) for anyone currently in (or anyone who knows someone in) a forced marriage. Please remember that you are not alone in all this.  
>  
> 
>  
> 
> <http://www.unchainedatlast.org>  
> <https://www.girlsnotbrides.org>


	2. Chapter 2

When one wakes up after a distressing and depressing night, the general result is that they feel much better than they did the evening before. A night’s rest can do wonders for the human psyche, like reducing stress and clearing out your thoughts. After a good amount of sleep, problems that had previously seemed terribly unmanageable may now have a clear solution, and others may seem so small of an issue that you haven’t a clue as to how you thought they would cause any trouble at all. This, unfortunately, was not the case for Violet Baudelaire when she woke up back in Count Olaf’s house.

At first, she wasn’t upset, just merely confused about her surroundings. She appeared to be in the master bedroom instead of the small chamber she shared with her siblings. Flummoxed, she looked around for Sunny and Klaus, unsure of where they had gotten to. It wasn’t until she looked down and saw herself still wearing the ugly wedding dress that all the events of the last night came back to her. She jumped up, horrified. If she was already in this house, then there was no way of getting out of it; Count Olaf’s troupe of henchpeople would see to that. And if they really did have to wait for a court to decide on an annulment, a word which here means “a pronouncement from a court or religious authority declaring a marriage invalid”, then Violet could be stuck living with Count Olaf for days, or even weeks! Surely he would act twice as cruel now that they had come so close to thwarting his evil scheme. And where were her brother and sister? Were they safe?

These thoughts soon overwhelmed poor Violet, who then put her head in her hands to weep for a very long time. After what felt like an eternity of doing so, Violet found that she had no tears left to sob out.

Violet couldn’t bear to sit still any longer, but didn’t want to venture through the rest of the house in case she came across any nasty characters, so she occupied herself by pacing about the room. It was still tidy from the last time she and her siblings had cleaned it, as Count Olaf hardly ever slept there, preferring to stay in his tower on the nights that he did come home. Atop the bureau she found the familiar list of chores, although the tasks of this one were much more unpleasant than the ones the Baudelaires had gotten before, and this list was just as long as the others, though Violet was now the only sibling left to complete them. Doing this list would take up her entire day if she started now. Violet considered going back to sleep, but shuddered to think of what Count Olaf would do to her if she didn’t complete the chores. After all, she had reason to believe that he was only keeping her alive to try and access her fortune through this miserable marriage.

She looked out the window to see the newspaper boy riding by, tossing out copies of _The Daily Punctilio_ from door to door. How she wished she could be as free as him! Her eyes then trailed across the way to Justice Strauss’ house. It seemed very quiet. _“Does she know that I’m here?”_ Violet wondered. She didn’t think that Justice Strauss would have let her come back here without giving a fight, which gave Violet some comfort, but the fact remained that she _was_ here all the same.

Sighing, she looked down at the list to find her first task. _“Clean the gutter,”_ it read. Violet, having only noticed the gutter once on a rainy day when it overflowed while she was out chopping wood, looked up through the window to try and see the rickety old channel. If she craned her neck a certain way she could see the very edge of it, which had sticks, leaves, and what Violet _hoped_ wasn’t a dead animal spilling out over its brim. 

Today was clearly going to be a very long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <http://www.unchainedatlast.org>   
>  <https://www.girlsnotbrides.org>


End file.
